BILL NUMBER: S3571

SPONSOR: CLEARE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act in relation to naming a certain state facility after Willie Mae
"Goody" Goodman

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This bill names a state facility in Harlem, where Margaret Goodman (the
daughter of Willie Mae "Goody" Goodman) has lived for many years since
the closure of Willowbrook.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

This bill names a state facility in Harlem, where Margaret Goodman (the
daughter of Willie Mae "Goody" Goodman) has lived for many years since
the closure of Willowbrook. The bill includes-thorough legislative
intent, proper description of the relevant OPWDD facility to be named.,
the proper name of said facility-- "Willie Mae 'Goody' Goodman Community
Facility;" OPWDD authority to provide appropriate signage, and an imme-
              

diate effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

In 1955, Willie Mae Goodman gave birth 'to her daughter Margaret, who
was diagnosed (in the, parlance of the day) as profoundly retarded and
multiply handicapped; even though the doctors believed Margaret would
not live a long life, Willie Mae chose to dedicate her life to her
daughter's well-being, proclaiming, "from this day forward my life is
hers and her life is mine."

At the age of four, Margaret Goodman was placed in Willowbrook State
School, Building 14; in 1961, the Department of Mental Hygiene beganto
quietly transfer approximately 200 severe and profoundly disabled chil-
dren, including Margaret, from the wards at Willowbrook and place them
in a building abandoned by New York City in 1960, on the lower East Side
of Manhattan formally known as the Gouverneur Hospital.

Willie Mae Goodman realized these children needed an advocate to ensure
their survival, and she enthusiastically took on the role; in 1970,
faced with the threat that the Gouverneur residents would be returned to
Willowbrook State School, she became the voice of the newly formed
Gouverneur Parents Association (GPA).

The GPA became the first group of parents to take the Department of
Mental Hygiene to court, and through a court injunction, successfully
blocked the transfer of their loved ones back to Willowbrook State
School. Furthermore, in 1975, Willie Mae Goodman successfully obtained
legal affirmation that the. Gouverneur residents were members of the
Willowbrook Class, and as such, entitled to the same benefits and
protections available to all class members.

Since then, Willie Mae Goodman has continued to fight for "her kids"
from Gouverneur; due to her steadfast and unremitting commitment, many
of the residents have lived well beyond what most expected and have
experienced the benefits of placement in community-based homes, includ-

ing her beloved daughter who has been a resident of the 119th Street
Residence since 1991.

For seven decades, Willie Mae Goodman has worked tirelessly to address
society's ignorance on the needs of the developmentally disabled and
helped tear down any barriers which have denied these individuals commu-
nity integration opportunities-today at age 92 the fight continues and
given the singularly important role she has played in safeguarding our
loved one and transforming the treatment landscape, her works should be
memorialized while she is alive to tell the story.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

Passed Senate 2023-24.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

De Minimis-signage.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.